How do you pronounce Wein cell?

Q.G. said:

Vell ...

Ich bin gespannt vo denn bloß alle die Villies, die Wolkers, die Valltrauts, die Weronicas und die Verners zu finden sind.
Vann haben die zuletzt den Hahn aufgedreht um ein Glas Vasser zu trinken? Oder eine Flasche entkorkt um ein Glas Vein geniessen zu können? Ein Veissbier beim Vildbraten genossen?
Viewiel Alkohol muss man überhaupt trinken damit man so spricht?

Habe schon manches erlebt, aber so vas... Vahnsinn!

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The above is incredibly stupid.

Man buchstabiert das Wort also: "Wicks." Vielleicht werden die echt Deutsche uns erzaehlen, wie diese Produktname auf Deutsch gesprochen ist.

And I ask their forgiveness for any lapses in grammar. I have not been in a classroom for more than forty years; have not lived in Germany for 38 years. However, I still read Sueddeutsche Zeitung on occasion; try to listen to die Deutsche Welle several times a month; and listen to Bayern4 Klassik on my computer almost every night. I am reasonably certain I know how "W" and "V" are pronounced in Neuhochdeutsch.

And P.S. My poor wife asked at the apothecary for "Ficks," thinking the product name was spelled the same ( Vicks) in Germany as it is in the U.S.A.

Anscojohn said:

********
The above is incredibly stupid.

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Would you like to elaborate?

But i agree: the proposed thing about "v"s and "w"s is indeed incredibly stupid.

I thought Germany expunged "ß" from their alphabet a few years ago. That one always threw me off.

How does one pronounce "Gossen adapter"? That's what I prefer to those unpronouncable cells.

BrianShaw said:

I thought Germany expunged "ß" from their alphabet a few years ago. That one always threw me off.

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Nah... Just changed the rules for when to use "ß" and when to use "ss".

After years of study, I can now use the right one at least 60% of the time!

Problem solved: Pronounce it "overpriced", "short lived", and "who gives a damn how the greedy bastard pronounces his name?"

I was told today, by a native German, the "the kids in Berlin who are trying to be cool sometimes pronounce w as an English w." Does the fact that this is from a resident of the Dortmund/Essen/Dusseldorf area make a difference? Maybe this is something of a "po po po" statement from a resident of an industrial area about the residents of a more "hip" area. Another friend from Hamburg told me when I was studying the language how to pronounce things. I heard no English W sounds in the streaming web audio examples I heard. It was fast (for me), but I did listen to every word.

How about some actual information, instead of a bunch of vague arguing and crap? Is the pronunciation of W in German as an English W a "modernization" of the language, such as phasing out the scharfes S in certain instances? Are there certain dialects that pronounce the W as an English V and certain ones that pronounce it as an English W? If you want to teach us something that you believe (or "know") to be true, give us some details please. The no, no, no, it is this way, heels in the mud approach teaches no one anything.

Is every German-speaking source I have ever talked to dead wrong, except for one guy on an Internet photo forum? Is an Internet photo forum the place to have that last question answered?

Inquiring minds want to know...

As for the OP, there is only ONE answer that is truly correct, and that answer can only be obtained by hearing the owner of the company pronounce his or her name. End of story in this particular case

AgX said:

Seemingly I'm the only German around.

Especially with names there is some uncertainty whether to pronounce the `v´ as (german) `v´ or `w´. And for some `v´-names which definitely must be pronounced as `v´ the majority uses the `w´-pronunciation.

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The only German around, and you withhold the goods! I want to hear a similar paragraph as this one that you wrote about the German V, but about the German W. Is W pronounced like an English V? Is it regional? Is it a recent change? If a German W sounds like an English W, then what the hell drugs have every German-speaking person I've ever discussed this with in person been on?

-) The german V is pronounced as the english F.
[Exception: some names (with regional differences) and terms of latin origin (vertikal, ventrikulär etc.) where the V bevomes voiced as the german W. This is not about rules but about daily experience.]

-) The german W is a voiced V. There is no equivalent to the english W.

-) `Wein´ is pronounced in German as the english `vine´ but with a voiced V.

-) AGFA is pronounced in German as ugfa (with the u as in `us´ and the -fa as in `father´).
[ I can't give an example for the flemish pronunciation as there is no equivalent to the flemish g in English.]


Edit: I don't use drugs!

AgX said:

-) The german V is pronounced as the english F.
[Exception: some names (with regional differences) and terms of latin origin (vertikal, ventrikulär etc.) where the V bevomes voiced as the german W. This is not about rules but about daily experience.]

-) The german W is a voiced V. There is no equivalent to the english W.

-) `Wein´ is pronounced in German as the english `vine´ but with a voiced V.

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Thank you for the quick response and clarification.

This seems to agree with the assertions of most of those who have discussed the matter thus far, except for one person. It agrees perfectly with what every German speaking person I have ever discussed the language with has told me.

However, this clashes with your earlier post that agreed with this one person's statement that a German W sounds like an English W and a German V sounds like an English V,:

Posted by Q.G.: "In German, a "w" is a "w", a "v" a "v".
Only in English comic versions of a German accent does a "v" become a "w" and wice wersa."

Posted by you in response to the above: "Seemingly I'm the only German around.

So in general you are right, but many Germans do not follow the rules (hard to believe...)"

...and this is what confused me. First, agreement with Q.G., then disagreement.

The "drugs" comment was a joke in reference to the fact that I have always been instructed to pronounce German Ws similarly to English Vs, and if this is not the case, then a LOT of native Germans who I learned this from are totally screwed up! (Quite possible...)

I'm about to give up. Again.
I may be ageing. But deaf i'm certainly not.

AgX, wir sollten uns vielleicht mal treffen an einer Wiesbadener Wurstbude.
Bier trinken, Wurst essen, und horchen ...

What am i thinking!
We should all meet up in Wiesbaden and enjoy the cullinary delight of a Bratwurst mit Curry.
I can think of worse things to do.

Q.G. *must* be a Canon user....

2F/2F,

I meant that Q.G. is right in saying that W and V are pronounced differently in German, but with those exceptions I hinted at.

I don't share the view that in German a W is changed into V qua pronunciation, but Q.G. only hinted at "English comic versions" of German.


I have not been to Wiesbaden so far; maybe I learn a bit more on the W and V there.

For the rest, 2F/2F why not come over from your gig at Edinburgh to that german Wurstbude for a sausage as Q.G. proposed?


Rol Lei Nut,

I'm a Canon user too. As well as 2F/2F.

AgX said:

2F/2F,

Rol Lei Nut,

I'm a Canon user too. As well as 2F/2F.

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O.K., I Let some deep prejudices take over...

I guess nice Canon users do exist.
;-)

The only answer to the question "How do YOU pronounce 'Wein'?" is: Any way you want!

"Wein" in German meaning "wine" is pronounced like English "vine" - no regional variations I am aware of. On the other hand, as far as I know, the well-known jazz promoter George Wein is/was always anounced as "George Wheen."